Flying Power Kites, what are they - info for novices

If you’re interested in flying power kites then it’s a good idea to find out a little bit of information about them first because unlike the old diamond shaped kites and little stunt kites we all used to fly as kids, power kites are a different game alltogether. 

Power kiting is also not a particularly cheap sport to start off with if you want to get a decent kite, however, once you are up and running you shouldn’t need to spend too much very often and the amount of fun you can have with your kite is practically limitless.

The information below is designed to give the complete novice an insight into the sport.

What is a power kite?

Remember that old diamond shaped kite we were talking about?  Well power kites don't really look anything like them.  Power kites look more like a modern ram-air parachute or a paraglider than a kite, and it is this shape that enables these kites to generate so much lift and traction.

Power kites as the name suggests are designed to provide a significant a mount of pull for any given wind conditions.  They come in several different forms but foil kites are perhaps the most common type you will see.  They vary in size from one or two meters up to about 10 metres plus.  Large power kites can develop a very large amount of pull indeed and should only be handled by experienced fliers.

The old diamond kite probably only had one line attached, but a power kite on the other handwill have either 2 or 4 control lines.  A range of 5 line kites have also recently been developed.  Most intermediate to experienced level power kites will be 4 line kites.  With a 2 line kite you can a a reasonable amount of control as to where your kite flies.  With a 4 line kite you can exercise a great deal of control over your kite and position it for maximum pull.

The Wind Window

This is a hypothetical area of the sky in front of the kite flier facing downwind that kite is flown in.  Towards either edge of the wind window the power kite will have less pull than directly in front of the kite flier.  A neutral position where the pull is considerably reduced exists when the kite is almost directly overhead.

Safety

Practically any activity that involves power kites will have some element of risk and in some cases may be considered an extreme sport.  Always put safety first and wear a helmet and any other sensible pieces of equipment such as sturdy boots, gloves, knee and elbow pads etc.  Also, many larger kites have devices which in an emergency can de-power the kite and these should always be kept on standby. 

When flying a power kite consider others.  Power kites seem to act as people magnets and when out flying you’ll often have individuals wander up and ask questions about the kite.  However, sometimes people don’t realise that the kite lines are under a great deal of tension and quite often moving fast.  It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to work out what could happen.  Another hazard for the kite flier is animals, particularly dogs that aren’t on the lead.  They like to chase things and a power kite looks like a lot of fun so best avoid areas where there are like to be a lot pooches on the loose.

Kite Sports

As you can imagine with the incredible amount of energy that power kites deliver many new sports have been developed over the years and these are just a few of them.

Scudding - The first thing beginners learn - it’s basically sliding along on your feet pulled by the kite.  It’s a fun activity and probably the least dangerous power kite sport.  However, that doesn’t mean that one will not be pulled down the beach like a rag doll.

Kite Jumping - Your first kite jump may come as a surprise (mine did), but with a little practice this can be quite exhilarating.  There are various techniques to achieve “air” with a power kite but in general flying your kite across area of maximum lift in the wind window whilst running in the opposite direction will achieve this.  Be aware of the capabilities of your kite and the wind conditions before you attempt this and always wear safety equipment (helmet knee pads etc.) whilst undertaking dangerous sports - and I would categorise Kite Jumping as a potentially dangerous sport!

Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding - Once you’re hooked on flying power kites this is something that may be of interest.  You’ve probably heard of windsurfing and kitesurfing is a water sport that basically uses a power kite to propel a smaller type of surf board.

Kite Buggying or Parakarting - There’s no need for water with this sport.  Traction kites are use to pull a three wheeled buggy across the ground.  This can take place either in large open common land or fields, or alternatively a large sandy beach.  Smaller power kites such as the Flexifoil Bullet are ideal for this.

Kite Landboarding - If you’ve ever owned a skateboard and wished you had a bit more oomph whilst careering across the playground then Kite Landboarding might be the sport for you.  The rider stands on a mountain board, which basically looks like a skateboard with large pneumatic tyres and deck bindings (so the rider doesn’t fall off).

Other power kite sports - When you have a source of energy such as a power kite with a little imagination there’s no end to the fun to be had.  Whilst browsing around I’ve discovered all sorts of variant sports such as kite skating and kite sledging.  If you can think of something that moves and you can hang on to a kite, the chances are someone’s already tried it.  But if you come up with anything new...  do let me know!

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